


Daddy Hunter

by JaneDoe112255



Series: Life Lost... And Found [2]
Category: Marianas Trench
Genre: Adorable, Comfort, Couch Cuddles, Cuddling & Snuggling, Diapers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fear, Fever, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Littles Are Known, Non-Sexual Age Play, Paicfier, Platonic Cuddling, Sickfic, Sleepiness, Sleepy Cuddles, Storms, Thumb-sucking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-28 12:20:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16723293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaneDoe112255/pseuds/JaneDoe112255
Summary: Josh meets his Daddy Hunter





	Daddy Hunter

**Author's Note:**

> This took me, like, four days to finish.

It was raining. Hard. There were lightning and thunder, and it was scary. It was especially frightening for eighteen-year-old Josh. Josh had always hated storms, just as much as he hated the dark. The poor boy was sobbing in an alleyway. He was sat down with his back to a brick wall. He had his knees pulled up to his chest. The boy was soaked, and his thin t-shirt offered no protection from the cold. Some guys had come earlier that day and beat him when he refused to give him his coat, gloves, and hat. After the beating, they stole all his warm clothes and left him barely able to move and freezing. The boy was so cold, and he was hurt and sore. He would do anything to be warm and comfortable again. 

Josh wanted to go home. Even if home meant that he got glares and yelled at when he acted too much like a baby, that was okay. As long as he did not have to be cold and scared and hurt anymore home was okay.

Josh gave a small yelp when he heard another clap of thunder. He curled up as tight as his injured body would allow, and tried to ignore the fact that it suddenly felt very warm around his groin area. 

Josh sobbed and wondered what his mom and dad would say if they saw him like this. His dad would probably scoff at him and say that this is the reason that they kicked Josh out of the house. If Josh was so scared of a little thunderstorm that he pissed his pants, then he did not deserve to be his son. His mom would tell him to man up. She would tell Josh to stop crying. Men don't cry because of thunderstorms. These thoughts, while true, made Josh feel worse, so he forced himself to stop thinking about that. 

Josh let out another sob when he heard another clap of thunder sound. Why couldn't the storm stop? He was terrified. The boy started rocking himself back and forth to try and comfort himself. Up until now, the boy had resisted the urge to suck on his cold, nearly numb, fingers, but he could not stop now. He was too scared.

So, Josh sat in an alleyway. Shaking and cold and scared. Crying into his knees while rocking himself and sucking on his fingers. Wishing that he was somewhere warm and safe. Somewhere that he did not hear the thunder. 

Josh suddenly felt someone beside him. Josh whimpered and curled up further, moving further against the wall and ignoring the shooting pain that ran up his back. It was probably someone who would kick him for making so much noise. Josh could not help it. He was scared and hurt and could not stop crying. He was sorry. He wished he was not a big, stupid baby. If the boy were not a big, stupid baby then he would not have gotten kicked out of his home, and he would not be scared, and he would not have gotten beat for his clothes, and he would be able to be a man.

But he could not be a man right now, and he felt little. The boy could feel his mental age go down bit by bit the longer he was outside in the freezing cold rain and storm. Josh did not know how 'old' his little side was, and if Josh had his way he would never find out. But his body and mind, it seemed, had different plans. 

"Hey, Son are you okay? Do you need some help?" the boy heard someone with a deep voice ask. 

Josh looked up and tensed, even more, when he saw who spoke to him. The man looked to be in his mid to late twenties. He had blond hair that was soaked and sticking to his forehead and grey-green eyes. The man was also tall. Taller than Josh by at least a couple of inches. That coupled with Josh sitting down and the boy being scared and hurt; the man looked very intimidating to the boy. Another thing that made the man intimidating was all his muscles. 

Josh shook his head wincing as he moved his stiff neck. He did not want help. He wanted to go home. 

"Hey there, Bubba, my name's Hunter," Hunter kneeled down so that he looked smaller to the baby. This little boy was not the first little to be intimidated by his size, but Hunter was a true gentle giant.

"Can you tell me your name?" 

Josh whimpered and curled away from the man, but he still answered, "J-Josh," with a ruff, shaky voice. 

"Hello, Josh," Hunter said with a small smile, "let's get you out of this rain."

Hunter reached out to try and touch the shaking little, but when he did, Josh sobbed harder. The boy squirmed away from the man. He felt his mental age plummet and that terrified the baby. He did not know how old he was, but he knew that he would not be able to fight off the man if he decided to hurt Josh even more.

"N-no, no huwt, plea'. No huwt," Josh begged. The baby did not want to be hurt anymore.

"Ohh, Josh," Hunter started, taking a few steps back, "I'm not going to hurt you. I would never hurt a sweet little boy like you."

Josh looked up at the man. Now that the baby was listening to the man, he did not sound that scary. He sounded nice, but while Hunter sounded nice, the baby still did not know if he could trust the man. His mom and dad used to be nice to him, but then they turned mean and hurt the baby. Josh did not want to be hurt anymore. 

Josh flinched and whimpered when he heard a thunderclap. The baby felt his chest tighten and he felt like he could not breathe. His breathing picked up and felt his heart rate go crazy. 

"Okay, Bubba, breathe," Hunter said, taking a few steps forward, recognizing the signs of a panic attack. 

"C'n't b'eath," Josh sobbed. He could not breathe like Hunter was asking. He was starting to become dizzy, and the baby was scared.

"Head in between your knees, Josh," Hunter ordered, forcing the baby's head between his knees, "breathe deeply, like me," the man gave an overexaggerated breath for Josh to copy. At first, Josh struggled against the man slightly, but once he realized that what the man was saying helped him, the baby calmed and was soon able to breathe normally. 

Josh slumped forward and allowed Hunter to pull him against the man's chest. The baby was now exhausted. He could not get away from Hunter if he wanted to. Josh did not want to get away from Hunter though. Despite his intimidating size, the man felt safe and warm in a way the Josh did not know how to describe. 

"Okay, Bubba, let's get you out of the rain," the man said once again, but this time Josh was too tired to fight though a large part of his body was telling him to fight and run. No one could care enough about Josh to help him out of the rain. Hunter just wanted to hurt him. There was another, smaller side of him that told him that he should trust the man. That this man was safe and nice. Josh did not know which side to listen to. 

Josh whimpered as Hunter lifted the baby up so that the baby was on his hip. "Owwie," Josh whispered as it hurt to be moved. Josh could not help it when he wrapped his arms and legs around Hunter. The baby rested his head against Hunter's chest and sighed in contentment despite himself. The man had a comforting energy that Josh could not resist.

"Sorry, Bubba," Hunter apologized as he walked to his car as quickly as he could to get out of the rain without upsetting or hurting Josh. 

Josh whimpered once again when he saw that they were headed toward a car. Not because he thought that Hunter would hurt him somehow, Josh trusted that Hunter would not do that for whatever reason, but because he would get the inside of the car all wet.

"Wet," Josh whined.

"I know you're wet, Little Man," Hunter whispered in his ear in a comforting voice, "We'll get you dry when we get to my house."

No, that was not what Josh was talking about even though it did sound nice to get dry. He was going to get the inside of the car all wet. How could Hunter not see that?

"Me caw wet," Josh said, not able to form a complete sentence. 

Thankfully Hunter seemed to understand what Josh was saying as he said, "I don't care about my car, Bubba. As long as it gets us to my house." 

Josh whined again, but the debate was over as Hunter placed Josh in the back seat of the passenger's side. Hunter covered him with a blanket that offered a little warmth. He buried his hands in the blanket to warm them.

Hunter ran over to the driver's seat and started the car, turning on the heat on full blast, smiling when he heard Josh sigh in contentment. It was only 3 degrees outside, and the rain was almost freezing. Hunter wondered how long the little boy in his back seat had been outside in just a thin white shirt and jeans. By the look of his shirt and jeans, both of which were heavily stained with what looked like mud and blood, the poor baby had been out on the streets for a while. Hunter wondered how the baby did not freeze to death. The winter was not being kind in Vancouver. The temperatures had just today raised above freezing and was supposed to be negative twenty again by tomorrow. Hunter was going to check for signs of frostbite when he got home, and if Josh had it they would need to go to the hospital, but, from what Hunter could see, it did not look like the boy had it. 

The boy did, however, have several cuts and scrapes and bruises. Hunter had to get the baby home, get him in a warm bath to warm him up, clean and bandage his wounds, and get him into a diaper and sleeper. Tomorrow he would take the little boy over to SLA, but not tonight. Tonight the storm was too severe, and the baby was too cold to withstand the ride over there. 

They rode in silence, and ten minutes later, Hunter pulled up to his house. 

"Here we go Little One," Hunter whispered to the baby once he opened his door. Hunter picked the boy up and carried him up into his house.

When they entered, they heard barking. Josh whimpered and curled up into Hunter. He knew that the sound came from a doggie and that he should not be scared. But the loud noise scared him, and he could not help it. 

"Hey, Scarlett," the man said to the dog as he walked past. Scarlett jumped on her owner in excitement, and she managed to paw at Josh as well.

"Hi," the baby whispered, reaching down to touch the dog. Scarlett was a large, black Newfoundland. When the baby touched her, the doggie was soft and warm. Josh wondered for a second what it would feel like to cuddle into her fur. Josh had a doggie at home, but he was not as big or fluffy as Scarlett.

Hunter chuckled, "we'll make formal introductions in a little bit. First, we have to warm you up and get you all nice and clean, Bubba."

That sounded nice, really, really nice. Josh wanted to get warm and dry and clean and wanted to stop hurting. Could Hunter do all of that? Yeah, Josh decided. He already got him out of the thunderstorm and made him a little warm, so he should be able to do all of that. 

Josh rested his head on Hunter's shoulder as the man carried him around the house. Hunter had a comforting energy about him that Josh could not fight. The baby did not want to fight it. Something within him was telling him that he could trust this man, and he decided to believe it. 

They got to a bathroom where Hunter put him down on his feet. The man turned to turn on the bath water and before Josh could even whine Hunter had his attention back on the baby. 

"Okay, Bubba," Hunter started, "let's get these wet clothes off you."

Hunter helped the baby out of his shirt, jeans, boxers, and boots as quickly as he could. When he removed Josh's boots, Hunter noticed that his toes were white in color. Frostnip.

"Let me see your hands, Josh," Hunter asked, holding out his own hand. He needed to make sure that the baby did not have frostnip figures as well. Josh hesitated but removed his hands from his armpits to show Hunter. His fingertips were cold and numb, and he wanted them to warm up.

When Hunter saw the baby's fingers, he cursed slightly under his breath. His fingers were also white and had an almost waxy feeling to them. He needed to get the baby warmed up as soon as possible. Hunter had never been happier that he used to be a paramedic.

"Let's get in the tub," Hunter told him then explained, "you have frostnip, so you need to hold your hands and feet under the water to warm them up."

Josh sat in the warm tub and held his hands and feet under the water like Hunter told him. He knew what frostnip was and also knew that he needed to get warm so that he did not get hurt anymore.

"Good boy," Hunter praised, running his fingers through the baby's still damp and greasy hair and shivered. He desperately needed to get his own cold, wet clothes off too, but he did not want to leave the baby, not that there was much that he was willing to do before the frostnip in Josh's fingers and tows went away, so he told the baby-

"I'm going to go change. Be back in three minutes."

As much as Josh did not want to let Hunter go away, he knew that the man needed to be warm and dry too. It would only be for three minutes. Josh could handle three minutes alone, right? Yeah, he could. He handled three months alone. 

"Tay, Huntw," Josh mumbled, even though he did not want to. 

Josh knew that he was giving into his little side and that he should not. His parents would be mad. But his parents were not here, and Hunter was being nice. He could not fight his little side anymore. He was so tired of fighting. He did not want to fight. He just wanted to be little, and Hunter was letting him be little without yelling at him or making him feel bad. 

As promised Hunter was back in three minutes with different clothes on. A green long sleeve t-shirt and grey pair of sweats that looked very comfy. Josh wondered momentarily what Hunter would get him to wear. But ignored that question in his head, whatever Hunter got him Josh would be grateful for. 

"Doin' okay, Bubba?" Hunter asked, coming to set on the floor next to the tub and running his fingers through Josh's hair. 

Josh thought about that for a second. He was warmer, which he was thankful for, and the water was helping soothe away the aches in his muscles and joints. At the same time, his fingers and toes were starting to get the feels of pins and needles. It hurt a little, but Josh could handle it. Josh was okay. 

"Yeah," Josh nodded, tempted to suck on his fingers, but he needed to keep them under the water until Hunter said that he could move them.

"Hands and feet feeling better?"

"Umm," Josh debated momentarily whether or not to tell Hunter that his hands and feet hurt a little and decided to tell the truth, "t-tingles."

Hunter gave a sad smile and played with the hairs on the back of Josh's head, "it'll be okay, Josh, that's normal. Just the blood recirculating," Hunter explained. He was glad that the boy was at least feeling a little better. 

Josh sighed in contentment and leaned into Hunter's touch. The man brought the baby to his chest the best he could do over the tub. Hunter knew that the tingling sensation in his hands and feet was bothering the baby and wanted to offer what little comfort that he could. Hunter gave another small smile when Josh buried his face into Hunter's chest. 

Hunter did not know what it was about this little. The man did not usually let the littles he found on the streets to come home with him, but he allowed this little boy to come back home with him. Hunter told himself that it was because of the storm, but he knew that there was something more. Hunter could not put his finger on it. But there was something about him that brought out his caregiving side more than any other little has. Maybe it was the fact that the baby was crying when he first saw him or the fact that the baby looked so small and fragile. Maybe it was the cuts and scrapes and bruises that littered the poor baby's body. Maybe it was because the baby looked lost and broken. The baby looked like he needed someone to care about him and help him heal. To love and cherish him for the rest of his life. Hunter thought that maybe he could do that. Hunter closed his eyes for a second. He could not get attached. 

Hunter pulled back from the baby. When the baby looked up at him with questioning and slightly sad eyes, Hunter said, "let me see your hands, Bubba."

Josh did not hesitate this time in showing the man his hands. The baby lifted his hands up so fast that he accidentally splashed Hunter a little with the water.

"Oopsie," Josh whimpered as he curled up in on himself. He did not mean to splash Hunter. The baby did not know if Hunter would be mad. Don't be mad Hunter, please. He did not mean to.

Hunter saw the fear in the baby's eyes and body language. He smiled softly at the baby to show that he was not mad. Hunter stuck his hand in the water and gently splashed the baby. Josh giggled, drawing his knees up to his chest and covering his face with his hands, only managing to get more water on the towel that Hunter was suddenly glad that he laid down for after the baby's bath. 

Hunter chuckled at the baby's reaction and said once again, "let me see your hands, Splashy."

Josh gave a shy smile as he held out his hands again. His fingers were now pink, and when Hunter touched them, they were soft. Josh's toes were in the same state. The man sighed in relief. The baby's fingers and toes were fine. 

"Wanna start the bath?" Hunter asked the baby.

"Yeah," Josh nodded. He needed a bath. He had not had one since his family kicked him out on the streets. The only reason he was not covered in a thick layer of gunk now was because of the rain. 

"Let's start with the hair," Hunter told Josh. The man made his movements obvious as to not scare the baby. Hunter put his hand on the baby's forehead like a visor, ignoring the flinch, and said, "I'm going to pour water over your head, okay."

"Okay," Josh nodded, closing his eyes.

The man poured the water over the baby's head. After he pushed Josh's hair back so that no water got on the baby's face. Josh gave another sigh, the water felt good. Helped warm him up completely. The baby was finally warm. 

Hunter then rubbed non-tear baby shampoo into Josh's hair, scratching the baby's scalp. The baby leaned into the touch with a hum of pleaser and closed his eyes. That felt good. Josh liked that and wanted Hunter to keep doing it. Josh whined as Hunter removed his hands from his hair.

Hunter chuckled and made a mental note that Josh liked to have his hair played with. The man then turned the water back on and filled his cup up. Hunter then put his hand on Josh's forehead like a visor and poured the water over the baby's head. He repeated the process two more times.

"Hair's all done," Hunter told the baby, who smiled at the man, "let's clean your face and body now."

The baby nodded in consent. Hunter took a soft washcloth and poured some lavender baby soap so that it would relax and hopefully make the baby more sleepy. Hunter gently rubbed the soap on the baby's face. The baby winced when Hunter got close to his cut lip and swollen left eye. Other than that, the cleansing felt good. 

Hunter gently wiped the soap off of the baby's face with a different, wet washcloth before moving to the baby's chest and tummy. Hunter hated that he could see and feel most of the baby's ribs. Hunter would have to feed him something easy to digest. He had some brothy chicken noodle soap in his fridge that he would need to warm up on the stove. That would work. 

Josh tensed and curled up slightly as Hunter got closer and closer to his private parts. He trusted that Huter would not hurt him like that though Josh still did know why, but someone who promised to help him right after his parent kicked him out, hurt him. He did not want to be hurt like that ever again. It made him feel yucky and dirty. 

Hunter noticed the baby's discomfort and reassured him, "I'm not gonna hurt you."

Josh whimpered, that's what the mean man said to him, but he could not help but believe Hunter. Hunter was nice, warm, and had a comforting energy. Josh knew that he could trust him. 

The baby relaxed as Hunter moved past his private parts and toward his legs and feet. Hunter did in touch his toes as they were still sensitive due to the frostnip. 

Hunter moved on to the baby's back and arms quickly as the baby started to yawn and rub his eyes. Poor baby must be exhausted, and he still needed to get dressed and eat. 

"Okay, let's get out and dressed," Hunter told the baby, who nodded. He was so sleepy, and all Josh wanted to go to sleep. 

Hunter laid him down on the towel that he put on the ground before the bath and towel dried the baby off with a different towel.

Hunter turned and reached to the top of the sink and got the first aid kit, diaper, sleeper, and pacifier.

He turned back to the baby and saw that he had his eyes closed and fingers in his mouth. Hunter smiled gently at the cute sight. Hunter took the baby's fingers out of his mouth, and before the baby could whine too much, he stuck a pacifier in Josh's mouth. The baby worked the pacifier around in his mouth for a few moments before opening his eyes and reaching up. 

Josh felt a hard, plastic mouthpiece when he reached up to touch what Hunter put in his mouth. It took him a second to realize that it was a pacifier. As much as he wanted to spit it out, it was too babyish and too little, and someone would get mad, but a bigger part of him liked the feeling of the pacifier in his mouth. The baby liked the feeling of the latex bulb in his mouth and the guard up against his mouth. He was getting comfort from both inside and outside. 

Hunter rubbed antibiotic ointment and bandages on all of the baby's cuts and scrapes. Starting on the baby's arms and moving over to his chest and down to his legs, Hunter apologized every time the baby whined or whimpered and finished fast.

"Now let's get you dressed," Hunter said as he reached over to get the diaper. As soon as the baby saw the diaper, he whined and squirmed away from Hunter. He did not want a diaper. He was not a baby, no matter how little he felt. He did not need a diaper.

"What's wrong, Bubba?" 

"N-no diaper," Josh whined, "no baby."

Hunter sighed. He did not know if the baby used diapers, but it would surprise the man if he did not. Josh seemed to be very young (around 1 or 2), and Hunter did not want to take the chance if Josh had an accident. The baby would get upset, and Hunter did not want to see the baby upset. 

"How about this," Hunter started, "you wear the diaper tonight, and if you don't have an accident you don't have to wear anymore."

Josh did not want to take up Hunter up on that offer. Josh had a feeling that he would have an accident tonight. He already had one. Then if he had an accident, he would need to wear a diaper forever. He did not want to wear a diaper at all. It was too much. He could not be that much of a baby. People would hate him. He could not. At the same time. He knew that he would have an accident, and he would need a diaper for that. Hunter could get mad if he had an accident without a diaper on. He did not want anyone to be mad at him. Especially the one person who had been kind to him in three months. So, he nodded and said-

"Okay, Huntw."

Josh blushed bright red and hid his face in his hands as Hunter lifted his hips and slid the diaper under his bottom. The baby's actions made Hunter think that this might be the first time Josh had been in little space. He could be from a family who disapproved of littles. That would explain why he was on the streets in the first place. 

Hunter quickly taped up the diaper and put the blue sleeper on the baby. 

"All done, Bubba," Hunter told the boy, helping his sitting up so that he could pick up the baby and put him on his hip, "let's get you something to eat, then we can go night-night."

Josh yawned past his pacifier and rubbed his eyes and nodded as well. He was sleepy, but as soon as Hunter said that he needed to eat, he realized how hungry he was. The baby did not eat in what felt like days. He had not been able to steal anything so he could not eat. 

Hunter placed the baby on the couch and told him to stay there while Hunter goes to warm up some soup for them. Josh stayed on the couch with his knees to his chest and suckling on the pacifier between his teeth when a vaguely familiar doggie made her way over to were he was sitting. She jumped up on the couch and sat next to the baby, looking at him as if trying to figure him out. Josh looked back at Hunter for permission to pet the doggie, and Hunter nodded. 

Josh reached with a timid hand out to pet Scarlett's face. He pulled his hand back and giggled when she licked his hand. Josh put her head, and soon Scarlett was leaning up against the boy with her head on his chest. Josh felt entirely at ease, which he thought was odd. He was in a strangers house being babied and petting a dog. But said stranger was nice and warm and had not done anything to hurt Josh, Josh felt like he could trust Hunter. It felt good to be babied. He knew that his parents thought that it was wrong and bad, but Josh could not help it. It felt nice to finally give in to this side of him after so long. Josh was starting to believe the people who told him that his parents were wrong. 

Josh was brought out of his thoughts when Hunter came back over to him.

"Do you like Scarlett?" 

"Yeah," Josh said past the pacifier, "fluffy."

Hunter chuckled at the response, "yeah, she's a big 'ole fluff monster," Hunter said ruffling Scarlett's fur.

"Let's go eat, Bubba," Huter said, lifting the baby up and walking him to the dining room where he was placed in a kitchen chair with a bowl of chicken soup in front of him. 

Josh yawned for what felt like the hundredth time that night. He felt so tired. Josh was honestly starting to fall asleep on the couch with Scarlett before Hunter came to get him. Josh felt too tired to feed himself. He really wanted Hunter to do it but did not know how to ask or if it was appropriate.

"Let's eat somethin', Bubba," Hunter told the baby when he realized that the baby was not eating.

"H-Huntw do it?" Josh asked in a timid voice, still unsure if he should.

Hunter paused, Josh was not the first little to ask to be feed, but it surprised Hunter that Josh would ask. His hesitation only seemed to be upsetting the baby, so Hunter said-

"Of course, Bubba."

Hunter picked up the baby's spoon, scooped up a bite and fed it to the baby. Hunter continued, rotating between himself and Josh until they were both finished.

"All done," Hunter said when Josh ate the last bite of his food, "are you full?" 

Josh nodded with a yawn, making grabby hands toward Hunter. He was full. The baby was full and warm and sleepy and just wanted to go to sleep.

When Hunter picked Josh back up, Josh said, "night-night time?" in a small, tired voice.

"Of course, Bubba."

Hunter walked the guest bedroom closest to his own, with Scarlett on his heels. He placed the baby gently on the bed and tucked him in.

It felt good to be tucked in. The bed was soft, and the comforter was warm. It was much better than the concert or benches he had been sleeping on for the past few months. Josh whined when he noticed that Hunter had turned to leave. He did not want Hunter to leave him alone. Josh did not want to be alone. The baby wanted to be in Hunter's arms. Hunter's arms were safe and warm, and Josh liked it.

"What's wrong, Bubba?" Hunter asked when he heard the baby whine, running his fingers through the baby's now soft hair.

"H-Huntw no go, plea'," Josh begged with tears in his eyes, "Huntw stay with Josh, plea'."

Hunter sighed, he had not planned on sleeping in the same bed as the baby. But the baby looked like he was about to cry and Hunter could not stand that. Hunter threw the whole 'not getting attached' thing out the window for now (though he knew if he did it know he would never be able to get it back.)

"Okay, Bubba scoot over," Hunter said so that he could climb in bed with the baby. 

"H-Huntw," Josh whispered a few seconds later.

"Yeah?"

"Cuddles?" Josh whispered in the sweetest voice that he could manage.

Hunter chuckled at the shy question and opened one arm up, "come here Bubba."

Josh was at Hunter's side not even a second later. The baby cuddled into the man's chest and sighed contently when he felt a warm and safe feeling that he could not get enough of engulf him.

The baby was asleep a few seconds later, shortly followed by the man holding him.

...

Josh woke up the next morning not feeling good at all. Everything was achy and hurt, especially his head and throat. The baby's chest felt like it was full of something. He could feel that his nose was running. And his tummy hurt really bad and he felt like he was going to throw up. 

Josh was sick.

Josh curled up as much as he could to try and get his tummy to stop hurting. That was hurting the most. More than his head or throat. Josh suddenly felt extreme nausea and ran to the bathroom that he remembered Hunter taking him to the previous night. He barely made it to the toilet on time before he was emptying his stomach contents into the bowl. 

Tears came to Josh's eyes. He could not stop. It hurt. Josh felt someone beside him and felt someone rubbing his back. 

"Shh, Bubba. It's gonna be okay," Hunter said. Hunter. Hunter was here. Hunter would make it stop. He would take the hurt away. Josh was a little worried that he came to think of Hunter like that in not even one day, but at the same time, he did not care. The baby needed someone to make it stop. 

It took Josh a few seconds to stop. The baby groaned and leaned his head on the rim of the bowl. He looked at Hunter with glassy eyes.

"All done, Bubba?" Hunter asked, wiping the little bile that ended up on the baby's chin and neck, and running his fingers through the baby's hair and wincing at the heat radiating off the boy. The baby had a fever that Hunter was sure of. The baby's breathing was labored from vomiting and congestion. His eyes were red and watery, and his nose was running. Looked like the baby had a bad case of the flu. 

Josh nodded at the question and winced. Hunter added body aches onto his list of symptoms. 

"Here," Hunter said as he gave Josh a cup full of water. Josh took it with a shaky hand. The baby swashed around the water in his mouth. He then spat it out into the toilet the before drinking the rest.

"Good boy," Hunter prised, running one hand through the baby's hair. The baby leaned into the touch and rested his head on the man's chest. That felt better. Josh wished that Hunter would pick him up and carry him into the somewhere where they could cuddle. Maybe the couch or back in bed. Under a blanket. That sounded nice. Josh felt cold and could not stop from shivering. It felt like he was back outside. Josh whimpered. The baby did not want to go back outside again.

When the baby cuddled into his chest, Hunter smiled and felt warmth spread through his chest. He subtly checked the baby's diaper and felt that the Josh was wet.

"Okay, Bubba," Hunter started to get the baby's attention, "let's get you changed, then we can have a light breakfast. After that, we can cuddle on the couch. Maybe watch a movie."

Josh whined, not at the fact that Hunter was going to change the diaper. Josh knew that he wet it in his sleep, and that was embarrassing enough, but the baby did not want to eat. His tummy hurt and the baby did not want to throw up again. 

"What's the matter, Bubba?" Hunter asked.

Josh did not feel up to talking, but the baby knew that he had to so that he could get his point across so he said, "uhh, n-no eat. Tu-Tummy huwt." 

Hunter sighed, "I know your tummy is hurting, Bubba," he said with sympathy in his tone, "but you need to try and eat something. I won't make you eat much."

Josh whimpered. He did not want to eat. He would throw up again if he ate. He did not want to fight with the other man. He did not want to risk making the man mad. Hunter had been really nice to him. He did not want to make Hunter not nice to him. So, the baby nodded.

"There we go, Little Man," Hunter praised, rubbing the back of the baby's head. 

After cuddling the baby for a minute, Hunter said, "let's lay down so I can change you." 

Josh allowed Hunter to lay him down on the bathroom floor. Josh shivered as Hunter unzipped and removed the sleeper. Josh had to admit that he liked the sleeper. It kept him at least a little warm during the chills and kept him warm all night. It was also fleece, so it was very comfortable. 

Hunter threw the sleeper beside them to put in the washer later. Josh lifted his hips when Hunter told him to. The man noticed that Josh did not blush as much as he did the previous night during his change. Hunter did not know if it was because of the sickness and the baby did not care, or if it was because the baby was getting more comfortable. Hunter hoped it was the later. 

After changing his diaper, Hunter picked the baby up to carry him to the guest room to get him something to wear. As soon as the baby was safely in Hunter's arms, he snuggled deeply into the man. Josh rested his head under the man's chin and stuck his fingers in his mouth. Even though he just woke up, the baby felt exhausted and just wanted to cuddle and sleep. 

Not thinking that the baby would have too much of a say in what he wanted to wear, Hunter picked out a plan red sleeper with 'Daddy's Little Boy' written on it in light blue writing. 

Josh whined as Hunter put him on his feet. Josh did not want to be put down. He wanted to be cuddled. The baby lifted his arms, wanting to be picked back up.

"I'll pick you back up when you get some clothes on, Bubba," Hunter said. Josh whimpered, but listened, stepping into the sleeper and sticking his arms through the arm holes when Hunter was ready for him too. As soon as Hunter was done zipping up the sleeper, Josh lifted up his arms and made grabby hands toward Hunter. The baby just wanted to be held. 

The baby heard Hunter chuckle as he put his hands under his armpits to lift him up into the man's hip. Josh hummed in approval and wrapped his legs around Hunter's waist and arms around his neck. The baby snuggled back into the man's chest. 

Hunter first walked to the kitchen to take the baby's temperature. He needed to see what it was. If it were too high, he would have to take the baby to the doctor. He already knew that he could not take the baby to SLA today. He was too sick to handle sitting through anything that SLA would do. 

"Open up, Bubba," Hunter told the baby holding a thermometer. Josh removed his thumb from his mouth so that Hunter could put it in his mouth. When the device beeped a minute later Hunter pull it out of the baby's mouth and cursed at the number. 39.4 degrees. Hunter would need to get the baby some medicine. Hunter pulled out Tylenol for cold and flu and gave two tablets to the baby. 

"Take the medicine, Bubba," Hunter told the baby. He put the medicine in the baby's mouth and helped him take a drink of water with a sippy cup

Hunter then walked into the living room and tried to set the baby down on the couch so that he could go get some breakfast for the little boy. He would get him a couple pieces of toast for the baby and some applesauce. But Josh whined and held on tighter to the man. Tears burned the back of the baby's eyes when Hunter tried to put him down. He did not want to go down. He wanted to stay with Hunter. He wanted Hunter to keep holding him. He did not want Hunter to go anywhere without him. Please, Hunter.

"Stay wif Huntw," the baby begged, "don' wanna be 'lone. Wanna b-be held. Wanna cudda."

Hunter could not help but chuckle at the small pleas. Josh wanting to be held would make getting breakfast together harder, but Hunter was willing to do it if it would make Josh a little happier. 

"Okay, Bubba," Hunter sighed, repositioning the baby on his hip. 

As Hunter predicted, it was more complicated getting Josh's toast and applesauce together with only one arm, but he was able to manage. He sat down with Josh in his lap, he refused to let Hunter put him down even to eat. 

Hunter handed Josh the toast. Josh nibbled at the piece for a few seconds before putting it down. He did not want to eat. 

"C'mon Bubba. Just a few bites," Hunter told him.

"Nu-uh, Huntw. Plea'." Josh begged.

"How about some applesauce," Hunter suggested, putting a spoonful for applesauce to his mouth. 

The baby whimpered but took the spoon into his mouth. He liked the taste of it. He always liked applesauce when he was sick. It was the only thing that his mother could get him to eat when he was ill as a kid. Josh pushed that to the side. Whenever he thought about his parents, it made him sad. He did not want to be sad on top of being sick. 

Josh ate all of the applesauce, "all done, plea' Huntw," the baby begged. 

"Okay, Bubba," Hunter reassured the baby. Hopefully, the baby would eat some soup for lunch. He handed the baby the sippy cup and carried the baby to the living room and sat down on the couch. Hunter arranged the boy so that he was against his side. He covered the shivering little with a blankie. The baby snuggled into it and gave Hunter a grateful smile. 

"Do you wanna watch something?" Hunter asked the baby.

"Yeah," Josh answered, taking a drink from the sippy cup. He liked the sippy cup. He did not have to worry about spilling it, and it made him feel more little. Which is what he needed to feel like right now. 

Hunter asked what the baby liked, and Josh did not know how to answer that. He had no idea what kid shows where on nowadays.

"Don' know," the baby answered, "'ike animals 'nd music."

Hunter gave a small smile at the answer, "okay, Bubba. I think I have a show in mind."

Hunter put on the show, and Josh cuddled into the man's side. Hunter wrapped his arms around the little boy and carded his fingers through the baby's hair. 

Scarlett jumped on the couch too and laid her head down on the baby's hip. She could tell that the baby did not feel good, and wanted to try and make him feel better. 

As much as Josh tried to stay awake the baby could not. He soon fell asleep cuddled into Hunter and petting Scarlett and feeling safe and happy despite being sick.

...

Josh woke up the second time that day much like the first time. Not feeling good and really nauseous. Josh ran out of the living room and into the bathroom and once again threw up in the toilet.

Josh felt Hunter by his side not even a second later, rubbing his back and carding his fingers through his hair. 

"You all done, Bubba," Hunter asked when Josh stopped vomiting. The baby whimpered and shook his head. Hunter winced as Josh belched and for a second time threw up whatever was in his stomach until he was dry heaving. 

By the time Josh was done the baby had let out a small sob. "Huwts," the baby whimpered, holding his tummy. 

"Shh, Bubba you're gonna be okay," Hunter whispered to the baby as he whipped his mouth clean of bile, "here let's rise," Hunter helped the baby rise out his mouth with water and drink some.

"Sleepy," the baby whimpered, curling up to Hunter. The baby was exhausted. More tired than when he fell asleep with Hunter on the couch. The baby just wanted to sleep. 

"I know Bubba," Hunter said, brushing the baby's bangs away from his too warm forehead. The medicine did not seem to be helping much on that front. 

"Let's take your temperature, Bubba," Hunter said. If it were much higher than it was earlier like Hunter suspected, he would have to get Josh into a cool bath, and some cold compresses. When the device was beeped, Hunter's eyes widened when he saw the numbers. 40.5. That was dangerous. Hunter needed to get the baby into a cool bath, now.

"We gotta get you into a cool bath, okay Bubba," Hunter told the baby.

A cool bath, why? Josh was already so cold. He did not want a cool bath. 

"No," Josh whined, "cold."

"I know, Bubba, but you're too warm on the inside," Hunter tried to explain, hoping that the baby would understand and not hate him for what he had to do. 

Hunter turned the bath water on so that it was lukewarm. He laid the baby on the floor, who moaned, not wanting to be let go by the man. Hunter striped the baby down so that he wore nothing. The baby shivered, and when he was picked back up by the man, the baby curled into him as much as his pained body would allow. He just wanted to be warm. Why couldn't he be warm? Why couldn't Hunter make him warm? The man did last night. Why couldn't he now?

When Hunter put Josh into the bath, the baby whimpered. It was cold. The baby was so cold. He wanted to get out. He did not like it. 

"No, Huntw. Out, out," Josh begged. He wanted out. He did not want to be in the cold. No more cold. Please.

"I know, Bubba, I know," Hunter whispered to the baby running his hands through the baby's hair, "I'll get you out in 15 minutes okay?" Hunter continued to whisper soothing nothingness into Josh's ear until the baby closed his eyes despite himself. 

"That's it, Bubba. You can go to sleep," Josh mumbled something under his breath and leaned into the man's touch, giving into sleep a moment later.

...

Five days later and with the worst of Josh's cold behind them the pair were in the car.

"Whewe we goin', Huntw," Josh asked, voice still husky from sickness.

Hunter sighed. The man knew where they were going and he did not like it. He was going to give up Josh to SLA. Now that the baby was feeling better, Hunter had no excuse to keep the baby at home with him anymore. And trust him, Hunter was trying to find every excuse in the book as to why he could not bring the little boy in his back set to SLA. But he had no more excuses, aside for that he wanted to keep Josh around. Hunter could not explain it, but he felt a connection to the baby in a way that he never felt a connection to anyone in his life. Hunter had to admit, the past two days (with the worst of the flu systems subsiding) the baby had been fun to be around. Josh was all smiles and giggles when he was feeling good. The baby loved to play fetch with Scarlett (both inside and outside). The baby love to color. He loved to sing (and could apparently play, like, 12 instruments). He liked to draw and color. Most of all, the past few days the baby loved to cuddle and watch T.V.

Hunter had to admit that he knew his house will feel lonely if the little boy was gone. He did not want to let the little boy go. The man had honestly, been looking for a little for years now, but never had that connection with any little that he heard other caregivers talk about. Is the connection he felt with Josh the connection that the other caregivers were talking about? 

Hunter knew that there was no way in the world that he could give up this little boy. He just needed one other thing.

"Hey Bubba," Hunter said to get the baby's attention back. 

"Yeah?" 

"How do you feel like staying with Hunter for a while?" the man asked, looking at the baby through the rear view mirror.

When the question left the man's mouth, Josh smiled big past the pacifier in his mouth. The baby clapped and exclaimed, "yeah, Josh stay wif Huntw!"

Hunter smiled, he had his answer.

Instead of walking into the SLA office and explaining that he found Josh on the streets and that he needed a caregiver, Hunter walked into the SLA office and said-

"I would like to register as a Caregiver to a Little."

**Author's Note:**

> Leave any comments, concerns or suggestions down below. I can continue this as a little one shot series for Daddy Hunter and Baby Josh if you guys want. Leave your suggestions down below.


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